Peer Education – Conflict Prevention
Teachers and students participate in trainings on conflict prevention and interventions. After that participants become the trainers themselves and can lead same trainings for other students. The trainings embrace both theory and interactive methods.
Target group
- Teenagers (cca. 13 – 18 years)
- Young adults (cca. 17 – 26 years)
- NEETs
- Youth with fewer opportunities
- Youth workers
- Teachers
Content
The whole training is about conflict prevention and intervention. The uniqueness of the program is that students get information from peers, which is believed to be one of the most effective ways of education.
“Research suggests that people are more likely to hear and personalize messages, and thus to change their attitudes and behaviours, if they believe the messenger is similar to them and faces the same concerns and pressures. <…> Peer education draws on the credibility that young people have with their peers, leverages the power of role modelling, and provides flexibility in meeting the diverse needs of today's youth. Peer education can support young people in developing positive group norms and in making healthy decisions about sex.” (http://www.advocatesforyouth.org/)
Materials
Specific Environment
Space, where it would be possible to move freely, make a circle, work in groups and pairsSpecific goals
Democratic debates; sense of equality; mutual assistance; active participation; Responsibility; empowerment; creativity; collaboration; working in a group; trust in others; self-expression; conflict resolution and conflict management; reflexion; feedback; Self-confidence; High self-esteem; listening; recognition, identification and expression of feelings; saying “NO”; leadership; specific knowledge and methodology on conflict management; organisation; time planning; Encouragement to participate in various “peer education” programs. Sometimes participants choose to work as youth workers in the future; Youth learns to identify and manage various conflicts in their surroundings – bullying, discrimination…; Helps to reduce the number of drop-outsDescription
Six 45-minute-long trainings cover 6 topics:
DAY 1: Introduction – Me, others, me and other
DAY 2: Feelings – My feelings – how to recognize and express them
DAY 3: Conflicts – Identification and resolution of conflicts
DAY 4: Conflict resolution – Model for conflict resolution
DAY 5: Respect for myself and for others – Strong and respectful ways of communication
DAY 6: Self-confidence – Self-worth; support and encouragement for others; things that were learnt and experienced during the trainings
Outcomes and its measurability
- Acquired civic competencies
- Acquired social competencies
- Strenghened personal qualities
- Continuity of interest in participation in the peer program
- Reduced number of drop-outs
Project in which the method has been used
The project „Saugios aplinkos mokykloje kūrimas“ is about prevention in the fields of: social skills, alcohol, tobacco and other psychoactive substances abuse, rights offences and programmes for parents.